Occupational Therapy (OTD)
About Program
Nova Southeastern University, with its entry-level program leading to a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree will join five other universities that offer entry-level doctoral degrees in occupational therapy. The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Developing Program Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), which is located at the Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA),
4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200,
Bethesda, MD 20814-3449.
ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA
ACOTE's website link is www.acoteonline.org.
Classes for NSU's 3 ½-year, hybrid distance/weekend OTD program will be held in the NSU Tampa Student Educational Center (SEC) and online. The program, designed to attract creative and compassionate individuals who like to help others achieve their potential, will meet the need for occupational therapy education beyond a master's degree by students who want to continue working or doing other daily occupation's while going to school.
Distance/weekend hybrid means that students will receive part of their education at the Tampa SEC during three-to four-day institutes taught by reputable faculty members once a month per semester. Students will take the remainder of each course in an online format, using state-of-the-art technology. During the program, students will accumulate 1,680 hours of full-time clinical education. This will include two internships plus a doctoral residency in a negotiated practice area in addition to classroom and distance learning.
NSU's OTD program is dedicated to preparing occupational therapists to serve as a part of an interdisciplinary team of health professionals in a variety of practice settings, such as hospitals, schools, outpatient, and home health as well as in programs they develop where occupational therapists are not yet employed. Course activities promote clinical decision-making and patients and clients, from initial examination to outcomes assessment. Students' clinical competency will be evaluated both in the basic sciences and clinical skills prior to part-and full-time fieldwork experiences and a 16-week doctoral residency.
The fieldwork and residency experiences include:
- Level I fieldwork experiences or community field trips allow students to apply occupational therapy concepts and theories at selected clinic or other settings.
- Level II fieldwork experiences comprise two 12-week, full-time clinical internships at approved settings where licensed occupational therapists supervise students while they provide occupational therapy service as they complete predoctoral preparation.
- The doctoral residency includes 16 weeks of in-depth experience in one or more of the following: clinical practice skills, research skills, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, or theory development.
